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Day 01 : Abroad - Chennai
Arrive Chennai International airport.
On arrival, the guest will be met by our representative and transferred to
hotel.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 02 : Chennai
Morning city tour of Chennai - is the fourth largest city in India. The
sprawling city which is divided in two by the cooum River, has few tall
buildings to mark the impression of an easygoing market town. The gracefulness
is present in Madras in such liberal quantities is propriate. Visit the Fort St.
George - Still surrounded by cannon-proofwalls the fort was rebuilt several
times
South India
between 1642 when its original bastions were completed and 1749 when the French
left, it remains - moats and all - pretty much today as when first made the seat
of empire. Declared a national monument in 1948, most of its buildings have been
converted into government offices, notably the Legislature and Secretariat. At
various times the fort was home of Robert Clive, Elihu Yale and Sir Arthur
Wellesley. Within the fort, visit the little St Mary's Church the oldest
Protestant church east of the Suez and the first Anglican one in India.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 03 : Chennai
Full day sightseeing tour of Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram
Kanchipuram - known as the Golden City of a Thousand Temples, is one of the
oldest towns in India. It is famous for both its temples, many of them
remarkably well preserved and for its hand-woven silks. Kanchipuram is one of
the seven sacred cities of India and it is the only one associated with both
Shiva and Vishnu. Visit Ekambareshwar Temple, Kailashnath Temple, Kamakshi
Temple, the Vaikunthaperumal Temple, all built in the 7th and 8th centuries.
With a weaving tradition dating back to the Pallava era (when silk was the royal
cloth), Kanchipuram is justly famous for its particularly fine silk saris,
embellished with stunning patterns. Visit the local homes of the weavers and
watch them create magic out of silk thread into saris.
Mahabalipuram - This is a small, quiet seaside resort with a unique 7th-century
Shore Temple, a lovely beach and some of the most beautiful rock-cut temples in
the world. Situated on the shore of the Bay of Bengal, Mahabalipuram was already
a famous seaport in the 1st century AD. This town was a workshop for temple
building. Visit the seven pagoda-style Shore temples, lashed by the waves of the
sea and the seven rathas or temple chariots, a group of monolithic monuments &
animal figures carved out of solid rock, the earliest known examples of
Dravidian architecture. They were constructed in a single century-long burst of
creative enthusiasm, starting in the reign of Narasimhavarman 1 (AD 630-68). End
the visit by photography of the beautiful Shore temples at sunset.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 03 : Chennai - Tirupati
Full day trip to Tirupati (154 kms each way)
The "holy hill" of Tirumala in the extreme south of Andhra Pradesh is one the
most important pilgrimage centres in India, and is claimed to be the busiest in
the world - eclipsing Jerusalem, Rome and Mecca in its sheer number of pilgrims.
Tirumala is an engrossing place where you can spend the whole day just wandering
around. It's one of the few temples in India which allows non-hindus into the
sanctum but, despite this, the place sees few foreign visitors.
Venkateshwara Temple - Pilgrims flock to Tirumala to visit the ancient temple of
Venkateshwara, an avtar of Vishnu. This is the god whose pictures graces the
reception areas of most lodges and restaurants in Southern India and garlanded
in so many flowers that only his feet are visible.
Among the powers attributed to Venkateshwara is the granting of any wish that is
made in front of the idol at Tirumala; and so the millions come. There are never
less than 5000 pilgrims here at any one time and, in single day, the total is
often as high as 100,000. The temple staff alone number nearly 6000.
Overnight at a hotel.
Day 04 : Tirupati - Chennai - Madurai
Morning drive to Chennai airport (154 kms) to connect flight Chennai - Madurai.
Upon arrival met and transferred to hotel.
Madurai - It's one of the most pleasant Indian cities, and has a charming
situation on the River Vaigai, fringed by lush paddy fields and coconut groves.
Visit the Meenakshi temple one of the biggest temple complexes in India - 46 ft.
long by 790 ft broad built in the 17th Century. It is a rectangular twin shrine
- the southern temple dedicated to Meenakshi (the consort of Shiva) and the
other to Shiva. It is Madurai's greatest landmark - a file city within a city.
The complex includes a bazaar that bustles from dawn to nightfall. The high
point of the Meenakshi temple is "Hall of a Thousand Pillars", built in the 16th
C which is as great a work of structural engineering as it is of art.
You will drive (walk is recommended ) through the fascinating bazaar that is
bustling from dawn to nightfall. If time permits you may also visit the palace
of Tirumala Nayak which is an example of the architectural mastery of the Nayaks
- a blend of Hindu and Saracen architecture. It's enormous roofed arcade
supported by 48 foot high stoned pillar still stands.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 05 : Madurai - Kanyakumari
Morning, drive to Kanyakumari ( 240 kms / 5 hours).
Kanyakumari - meeting point of three oceans, the Bay of Bengal meets the Indian
Ocean and the Arabian Sea. Kanyakumari is famous for its beautiful views of
sunrise, sunset and moonrise over the waters. Kanyakumari is also a popular
pilgrimage destination and of great significance to Hindus
Overnight at hotel.
South India
Day 06 : Kanyakumari - Kovallam
Early morning view the rising sun.
Return to the hotel for breakfast.
Thereafter drive to Kovallam (70 kms / 1 ˝ hours).
Upon arrival check in at hotel.
Kovallam - Kovallam is one of India's most spectacular beach with the boundless
blue of the Arabian Sea and the unwinding miles of fine - sanded beaches washed
by the surf which roars and hisses at the feet of the stalwart palms. Located in
idyllic surroundings, it's a beautiful getaway for relaxation & recuperation.
Rest of the day at leisure for own activities and enjoy the facilities of the
hotel or at the beach.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 07 : Kovallam - Cochin - Bangalore - Puttaparthi
Morning drive to Cochin airport to connect flight Cochin / Bangalore.
Upon arrival in Bangalore - drive to Puttparthi (170 kms / 3 ˝ hours).
Ovenright at Ashram / hotel.
Day 08 : Puttaparthi
Day at Puttaparthi.
Ovenright at Ashram / hotel.
Day 09 : Puttaparthi - Bombay
Transfer to the airport for flight Puttparthi - Bombay ( 1450 / 1610 hrs. )
Upon arrival met and transferred to the international airport for flight back
home.
Day 10 : Bombay - Abroad
Depart Bombay.
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